Frustoconical trouble light with in-line outlet box

ABSTRACT

A trouble light having a substantially frustoconical guard containing a correspondingly shaped reflector which engages frame members in a snap-in snap-out manner so as to be removable and positionable. Circumferential frame members each have a discontinuity to provide shock resistance. The trouble light power cord is provided with an intermediate outlet connection box which may have a plurality of outlets arranged in conventional form or in opposed pair form when there are four outlets.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Jack A. Meltzer 3398 Fairway Road,Oceanside, N.Y. 11572 [21] Appl. No. 782,583 [22] Filed Dec. 10,1968[45] Patented June 8, I971 [54] FRUS'IOCONICAL TROUBLE LIGHT WITII IN-LINE OUTLET BOX 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 240/54, 240/ 102, 240/103, 339/27 [51] Int.Cl F2lv 15/00[50] Field of Search 240/54, 54.2,102,l02.1,102.2, 8.18, 92, 103;339/27, 157

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,893,088 1/1933 Kilkenny240/54.2 2,077,801 4/1937 Ludwig 240/54X 2,526,729 10/ 1950 Carlson2,576,165 11/1951 339/157C 2,580,359 12/1951 Moineau 240/102.2X2,677,754 5/1954 Heinz 240/102X 2,774,048 12/1956 Baenziger.. 240/54X3,078,367 2/ 1963 Jackson 240/102X FOREIGN PATENTS 331,455 7/1930 GreatBritain 240/102 334,001 8/1930 Great Britain 240/54 PrimaryExaminer-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Alan MathewsAttorney-Stoll and Stoll PATENT ED JUN a 197: v

INVENT OI-Z JAG/1. fl. HELTZER ATTORNEYS FRUSTOCONICAL TROUBLE LIGHTWITH IN-LINE OUTLET BOX BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of theInvention Portable lamps having a plug-in power cord, generally referredto as trouble lights.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior hereto, virtually all troublelights known to applicant have comprised an enclosure having a hingeddoor for access to the light bulb contained within. The enclosure hasbeen substantially cylindrical with closed top and bottom members. Thedoor occupied a substantial portion of the enclosure and a reflector waspermanently positioned within the enclosure opposite the door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides anovel and useful trouble light which completely eliminates the hingeddoor of previous trouble lights and which provides a flexibility of usehitherto unknown.

The present invention further provides a trouble light guard notableboth for its economy of manufacture and for its great resistance tomechanical shock.

The present invention additionally provides a trouble light having anaccessory outlet box located intermediate of the power cord.

Briefly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides atrouble light having a light bulb guard which is substantiallyfrustoconical in shape, being made of formed welded wires some of whichextend longitudinally and some of which extend circumferentially. Thecircumferential wires have their respective ends abutting but notjoined. The guard is fully open at the large end of the frustum forready access to the light bulb within. The smaller end of the frustum isprovided with a clamp for securing the guard to a shockproof handiewhich contains a switch. The power cord has located intermediate itsends an outlet box which may be a two or four outlet design but which ispreferably a four outlet box with oppositely opposed outlet pairs.

A reflector, which may be substantially hemifrustoconical in shape, isremovably secured to the guard in a snap-in snapoutmanner.

It is a notable advantage of the present invention that the unique shapeof the guard permits the use of large light bulbs such as the 300 wattsize.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the frustoconical trouble light withoutlet box of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the trouble light portion of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken across line 3-3 of FIG. 2, butwithout the light bulb.

FIG. 4 is an exploded pictorial view showing the guard and reflectorportions of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a two outlet box connectedto the power cord in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a four outlet connection portion in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a four outlet opposed pair connection box inaccordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring to thedrawing, the frustoconical trouble light with outlet box of the presentinvention comprises a power cord 10 connecting between a plug 12 and ahandle R4 of the trouble light. Handle 14 encloses a standard electricswitch 16 and a threaded socket for a light bulb, the threaded socketbeing located opposite the entrance point of power cord ]0.

Handle 14 is provided with an annular flange 18 which surrounds thelight bulb socket and which provides a surface about which a clamp ring20 may be removably secured.

Attached to clamp ring 20, as by welding or the .like, are a pluralityof wire rod frame members 22 which extend wardly and flare outwardlytherefrom to define a substantially conical shape. A plurality ofcircumferential wire rings 24 afe provided at spaced intervals and areattached, as by welding, to longitudinal wire rods 22, the uppermostring 24 being attached near the tops of longitudinal rods 22 preferablyon the inside thereof. The plane of each wire ring 24 is disposedperpendicularly to the axis of the cone; the entire guard 32 therebyformed defines a frustum of the cone.

Each wire ring 24 has its respective ends in abutting relationship wherethey meet but are not joined toprovide a great degree of flexibility andgive, both important to the shock re: sisting and absorbing functions ofthe wire guard.

One of said longitudinal rods 22 may extend upwardly and be looped toform a hinging hook 26.

A reflector 30 may be formed of sheet metal to fit within thefrustoconical guard 32. It is preferred that reflector 30 coverapproximately one-half of frustoconical guard 32; the preferred shape ofreflector 30 is accordingly substantially hemifrustoconical.

In the preferred form of the invention, guard 32 is provided with fourlongitudinal rods 22 equally spaced to form quadrants. Reflector 30 isaccordingly adapted to fit against any opposed pair of longitudinal rods22 as may clearly be seen in FIG. 3. Since reflector 30 is flexible, itmay be snapped into guard 32 and similarly snapped out of guard 32.

Power cord 10 has located intermediate its ends a connection box 40which may be provided with two outlets in standard electricalconnection. Alternatively, a four outlet con nection box 42 may beprovided which has all four outlets located in the upper surface of theoutlet box. Preferably, however, it is proposed that an outlet box 44 beprovided having four outlets arranged in opposed vertically orientedsidewall pairs as is shown in clear fashion in FIG. 7. The ad vantagesof such a box are clear. Outlet boxes 40 and 42 when placed flat on theground require an upward outcropping of accessory wires and plugs, alladapted to trip the unwary. Ap'-' plicants proposed opposed pairsidewall outlet box 44 when placed flat on the ground permits accessorywires and plugs to run horizontally close to the ground and safely outof harm's way.

While the foregoing is illustrative of preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is clear that other embodiments and modifications may behad within the broad teachings of the v disclosure and the scope of theclaims.

What I claim is: 1. An electric light comprising: 1 a. a power cord,said power cord connecting between a power source and a light bulbsocket; b. a shock-resistant handle, said shock-resistant handleenclosing said light bulb socket and a switch therefor;

c. a guard of substantially frustoconical shape, said guard beingclamped to said shock-resistant handle, and having an open top portionat the larger end of the frustum opposite the smaller end thereof whichis clamped to said handle, said guard comprising:

i. a circular clamp member;

ii. a plurality of substantially straight wire members, each of saidstraight wire members extending upwardly and outwardly from saidcircular clamp member at spaced intervals thereabout; and

iii. a plurality of circular wire members, each of said circular wiremembers being joined in spaced vertical intervals to said straight wiremembers; and

d. hemifrustoconical reflector means disposed within said guard forremovably snapping between any opposed pair of said straight wiremembers.

2. An electrical light in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

a. one of said straight wire members extends upwardly and outwardlybeyond the others and is formed into a partial loop to form a hinginghook.

3. An electrical light in accordance with claim 1, additionallycomprising:

a. an electrical outlet box, said electrical outlet box being connectedto said power cord intermediate its ends. 4. An electrical light inaccordance with claim 3, wherein:

1. An electric light comprising: a. a power cord, said power cordconnecting between a power source and a light bulb socket; b. ashock-resistant handle, said shock-resistant handle enclosing said lightbulb socket and a switch therefor; c. a guard of substantiallyfrustoconical shape, said guard being clamped to said shock-resistanthandle, and having an open top portion at the larger end of the frustumopposite the smaller end thereof which is clamped to said handle, saidguard comprising: i. a circular clamp member; ii. a plurality ofsubstantially straight wire members, each of said straight wire membersextending upwardly and outwardly from said circular clamp member atspaced intervals thereabout; and iii. a plurality of circular wiremembers, each of said circular wire members being joined in spacedvertical intervals to said straight wire members; and d.hemifrustoconical reflector means disposed within said guard forremovably snapping between any opposed pair of said straight wiremembers.
 2. An electrical light in accordance with claim 1, wherein: a.one of said straight wire members extends upwardly and outwardly beyondthe others and is formed into a partial loop to form a hinging hook. 3.An electrical light in accordance with claim 1, additionally comprising:a. an electrical outlet box, said electrical outlet box being connectedto said power cord intermediate its ends.
 4. An electrical light inaccordance with claim 3, wherein: a. said electrical outlet box havingtwo pairs of said outlets, said pairs being in opposed, verticalsidewalls of said electrical connection box.